Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United
States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress
December 6, 1897

Mr. Olney to Mr.
Ewing.

Department of State,Washington, November 27,
1896.

No. 228.]

Sir: In view of a letter from the Acting
Secretary of the Treasury of the 24th instant, I have to request that
you ascertain and forward a complete statement showing the designation,
amount, and purpose of taxes levied on shipping in the various ports of
Belgium, and by what authority such taxes are levied; also, whether any
discrimination is made between American and Belgian vessels in the
imposition of such taxes.

As pertinent to this I inclose for your information a copy of a note from
the Belgian minister at this capital of the 18th instant, and of my
reply of the 27th touching the possible exemption of vessels from
Belgian ports from the payment of tonnage dues upon entering those of
the United States.